| DEPARTURE DATES - (sundays) |
RATE |
ROUTE |
| April
3, 10, 17, 24 |
Regular |
Burgundy |
| May
1, 10, 17, 22, 29 |
Regular |
Burgundy |
| June
5, 12, 19, 26 |
Regular |
Burgundy |
| July
3, 10, 17, 24, 31 |
Regular |
Burgundy |
| August
7, 14, 21, 28 |
Regular |
Burgundy |
| September
4, 11, 18, 25 |
Regular |
Burgundy |
| October
2, 9, 16, 23 |
Regular |
Burgundy |
MEETING POINT
TVG
tickets are included in the costs of the cruise and therefore
you will be met off the train at the local TGV station
by a barge representative and transferred directly to
the barge on sunday afternoon
Hirondelle
Barge Information
THE 8 PASSENGER HIRONDELLE ....
The 8 passenger Hirondelle, owned and operated by Afloat in France, cruises some
of the most tranquil and beautiful waterways in all of Europe: the Canal
de Bourgogne, the Canal du Centre, the Canal du Rhône au Rhine and
the River Saône.
The
large windows, well above the water line, and the
sun-deck on the top deck of the boat make it easy
for you to enjoy the passing scenery of Burgundy
and Franche-Comté: renowned for their vineyards,
Gothic churches and abbeys, Renaissance châteaux
and picturesque villages.
Burgundy
is a region of France in which gastronomic delights
and the art of living have reigned supreme since
Roman times.
Excursions
are arranged to places with story-book names, whether
it be the quaint town of Dole, the famous museum
in Dijon, the castle in Châteauneuf or to Besançon,
birthplace of Victor Hugo.
Top of Page
Rogny
to Guetin itinerary
Sunday
- Rogny Les Sept Écluses
You
are met by a crew member at the local TGV station
and transferred to the barge which will be moored
in Rogny les Sept Écluses on the Canal de
Briare. A Champagne Reception welcomes you on board
and gives you a chance to meet the crew. Dinner aboard.
Monday – Rogny
to Chatillon-sur-Loire.
Today,
the barge traverses the River Loire via the longest
canal bridge in Europe, connecting the Canal du Briare
to the Canal Latéral à la Loire. Rogny
is the site of the oldest canal lock in France, a
seven-step staircase lock built in 1774. After lunch
you’ll visit the beautiful Chateau de Saint-Fargeau
with a history spanning a thousand years. Dinner
aboard
Tuesday – Chatillon sur Loire to Léré
After
breakfast, you visit the beautiful town of Gien to
tour a faïence factory. The faïence of
Gien is renowned for its colour and design. We also
include a visit to the historic Chateau de St Brisson
sur Loire. Built between the 12th and 16th centuries
as a fortress, it houses many fine rooms, as well
as a collection of huge catapaults, of a kind used
as medieval weaponry. We then return to the barge
and enjoy a wonderful lunch while the barge cruises
southward to Léré, a pleasant countryside
mooring. Dinner aboard.
Wednesday – Lere
to Menetreol
Late
morning we will visit Sancerre, situated on an impressive
hilltop west of the waterway, where you will have
a chance to discover the delights of this charming
town and fabulous views of the vineyards of Sancerre.
After a fine lunch in the town we make a stop for
a private wine tasting with the Count at the fabulous
15th century Chateau de Tracy, one of the most prestigious
producers in the Loire where we taste their renowned
Pouilly Fumé. Dinner aboard.
Thursday – Menetreol
to Passy
Before
we leave our mooring, we visit a local cheese producer
to see the famous ‘crottin’ goat cheese
being produced. The barge continues her cruise from
Menetreol towards La Charité-sur-Loire. We
moor in a rural spot called Passy and make our way
to La Charité-sur-Loire, an important site
of Burgundian Romanesque art. The Clunisian ensemble
of La Charité was a hugely important spiritual
centre in the early Middle Ages, and a renowned stopping
place for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela.
Dinner aboard.
Friday – Passy to Le Guétin
This
morning, enjoy a walking tour of Nevers, the capital
of the Nivernais, which has a strong Italian influence
and a long-standing reputation for ceramics. Nevers
is the third largest city in Burgundy and, until
the Revolution, seat of the Counts and Dukes of Nevers.
The barge cruises from La Charité-sur-Loire
to Le Guetin. Enjoy a short drive to Apremont to
visit its wonderful gardens. Apremont is listed as
one of the most beautiful villages in France. Farewell
Gala Dinner on board.
Saturday – Le
Guetin
After
breakfast disembark the barge and transfer to the
local TGV rail station.
This
is a sample itinerary and is subject to change.
On alternate
weeks, cruise will be in reverse
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